#Jackson Wyoming Wedding Planning

[punkshort]

to have and to hold

A The Way We Were/Look What We've Become one-shot

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader (established relationship)

Summary: You and Joel enjoy a quiet morning together the day after your wedding.

Warnings: language, fluff, smut (18+ MDNI), unprotected piv sex, brief mention of oral (m!receiving), an absurd amount of happiness and love.

WC: 2.2K

dividers by @saradika-graphics

Was it what you always envisioned for your wedding day?

Certainly not.

No, you definitely didn't imagine finding the love of your life, who also happened to be your extremely intimidating boss, right before the apocalypse. You didn't think you would spend a year traveling across the country together, fighting for your lives and keeping one another safe while doing your best to deny your feelings for him, and he for you.

Yet somehow, it all worked out. After enduring unspeakable things in that year, you found sanctuary in Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel's brother. Tommy had a very different experience in that first year. He managed to find Maria, his wife, and create a beautiful community. The walls around the town were still being constructed when they found you both on the side of the road, on your way to Yellowstone to settle down together someplace safe. They took you in and you acclimated nicely, although it took a long time for you both to feel safe, to let go of that nagging feeling in the back of your head that said stay alert, keep one eye open, stay awake. But you did, and you each finally found peace.

Sure, it wasn't all easy. Old fears cropped back up when Joel mentioned starting a family and getting married. You said all the wrong things, anxiety driving you instead of your heart and it nearly destroyed you both. But with time, you managed to work through your fears and you came out on the other end stronger than ever.

And now you were married. Devoted to one another forever, said the words with tears in your eyes and smiles on your faces in front of your friends and family. Ellie never called you mom and dad, but you took on the roles for her, anyway. You fed her, taught her, kept her safe, kept her secret. She was just as much family as Tommy and Maria, who also stood by your sides as you exchanged vows.

As silly as it was, Joel still insisted on keeping the hair tie you had given him that night wrapped tightly around his wrist. It was a makeshift ring, a symbol more than anything of your love and devotion to him, and even though you had since found a thin gold band for him to wear one day not too far outside the walls under Tommy's guard, Joel still never took off that hair tie.

It was the first thing you saw when you opened your eyes the day after your wedding. Your cheek was pressed against his bare chest, his right arm wrapped possessively around your middle and his left hand resting on his stomach. The way the sun beamed in through your bedroom curtains made the gold band around his finger practically sparkle, or maybe you were just imagining it. Either way, it made you smile and nuzzle into his warmth even more, inhaling his natural, comforting scent.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising underneath your cheek, then you heard him grunt softly before his fingers twitched then left his stomach in favor of scratching his beard.

"'S'late," he yawned, voice thick and gravelly. The way it sent a wave of arousal through you, you would have thought he said the most filthy, depraved thing known to man.

"We were up late," you reminded him, biting your lip when you saw the slow smile spread across his face.

"Oh, I remember," he teased before his hands found your hips and shifted you so you were lying on top of him. You pressed a slow, lazy kiss against the center of his chest and you could feel his heart fluttering under your lips.

"What do you want to do today?" you asked him sleepily.

He hummed and you got your answer before he even had a chance to respond when you felt a familiar twitch against your leg.

"I planned on stayin' in bed with my wife all damn day," he said, making you giggle.

"I like the sound of that."

With Ellie at a sleepover, which was at her own insistence to give you some space on your wedding night, a gesture both thoughtful and embarrassing in nature, you knew you had at least a few more hours to yourselves.

"C'mere," he murmured, his chest rumbling underneath you. With a grin, you propped yourself on your elbows so you could reach his mouth. Pressing your lips together gently, you each sighed, feeling yourself relax even more in his arms.

His tongue swiped along your bottom lip and you dropped your jaw, allowing your tongues to lazily reunite. One of his hands delicately traced your spine while the other cupped your cheek, cradling it like you were made of glass. You leaned your face into the palm of his hand, letting him hold you close. It felt like he had you completely surrounded, like your body was just melting right into his, and you couldn't be any happier.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. Turned out, you could be a little happier. That became rather clear when your kisses grew heated, your hands began to roam and your hips started to shift. You didn't even bother to ask, you just pushed yourself up so your legs were straddling him on either side and reached between both your bodies, angling his cock so it lined up with your opening and slowly, oh so slowly, you sunk down. You watched through heavy lidded eyes as his face went slack and his brow furrowed, taking great pride in the way you made this broad, strong, beast of a man all pliant and soft underneath you. How you and you alone with one touch or look could stop him dead in his tracks.

"Yeah, sweetheart, that's it," he growled when you started to move. He pressed his head back into his pillow and groaned, watching as the evidence of your arousal smeared between you both with each rock of your hips. His hands gripped your waist, one set of fingertips brushing up against the shiny, but faded, scars on your ribs. His eyes focused on them for a moment, allowing his ego to inflate just a bit when he recalled what you would be willing to do for him. It was the same he would be willing to do, and have done, for you: kill anyone who dared try to do you harm.

His hands drifted over your stomach, rough palms gliding over smooth skin, until he reached your breasts. He squeezed one, then the other, then drew small circles over your nipples, flicking his nail against the hardening bud and making you whine.

It didn't take much convincing. Just one hand pressing lightly on your back made you fall forward, planting a hand on either side of his head so he could take your nipple into his mouth while you continued to ride him at a pace you seemed to enjoy best.

"Feel so good," you practically slurred, your mind growing numb as your pleasure built. He released your breast with a smack to his lips and pushed you back so you were upright once again. His eyes looked black when he met your gaze and he clenched his jaw before he muttered lowly, "fuckin' take it. C'mon, lemme see you work for it."

You took a deep breath and stabilized your palms against his chest before tilting your hips up and dropping them down quickly, over and over in a steady, fast rhythm that had your skin slapping together obscenely in the otherwise quiet house.

"Yeah, that's it. Fuck, what a good girl," he murmured. You could see the shift in his face now and it fucking thrilled you. Gone were the sweet, loving looks and chaste, gentle kisses. Now that his own pleasure was mounting low in his stomach, his cock throbbing and begging for release deep within you, he was growing impatient. He bared his teeth while you kept up your fast, tight pace, eyes flashing up at you hungrily, heat flushing his chest and neck and you briefly thought he looked not unlike an animal, the thought only spurring you on more.

"Keep fuckin' yourself on my cock, sweetheart," he gritted out. "Look so pretty like this, all stuffed full of me. My beautiful wife," he added, his voice dropping to an adoring whisper with his last words. It had you tipping you head with a deep moan, your gaze locking onto the ceiling while you continued to ride him as best you could with trembling legs.

And he could feel it. He could feel your legs shake, he could hear your breath stutter and he knew you were growing weak but fuck if you didn't try to push through it just to please him. The mere thought practically short circuited his brain, his senses dulling at the idea of someone as perfect as you wanting to do what he asked. But he knew you were tired and sore from the previous night. He hardly let you rest once you finally tore away from the festivities to be alone for the first time as husband and wife, but you both knew the desire was double sided. You couldn't keep your hands off him, either. After all, it was you who dropped to your knees in your beautiful fucking dress right on the other side of your front door, barely making it inside, to take his cock down your throat.

So he decided to help. His hands found their place on your hips, thumbs pressing into the crease of your thighs, and he bucked up into you, each movement paired with a deep grunt that had your eyes rolling to the back of your head and your fingernails digging into his chest.

When your body shuddered and your jaw hung open, a sharp gasp the only sound to leave your lips, he smirked because he knew what would happen next. Your perfect fucking pussy clenched around him so deliciously, squeezing and relaxing over and over again while each wave of your orgasm ripped through you. The sight and feel was unlike anything else, the experience simply incomparable.

He lifted you off him quickly, making you yelp in surprise, and rolled you over so you were on your back. He knelt between your legs and furiously tugged at his cock, his eyes fixated on your spent cunt. He groaned loudly and fell forward onto one hand as he came, painting your stomach with his release, and you watched in a daze as you continued to catch your breath.

"Christ," he gasped when he was finally finished, then collapsed next to you with a tired groan. "Gonna kill me one day."

You giggled and tossed your forearm across your eyes, and he grinned before reaching toward the ground for something to clean you up.

"Why don't I make you breakfast?" he offered softly as he wiped the rag over your belly. You hummed and dropped your arm to your side with a smile.

"I think Julia baked us muffins as a wedding present. The basket should be downstairs somewhere."

He was surprised his stomach didn't growl on command.

"You stay here, I'll be right back," he said before kissing the tip of your nose and lifting himself up with a grunt. He slid on his boxers, not fully convinced that Ellie wouldn't come bounding through the front door unannounced, before heading down the steps. While the coffee brewed, he rubbed his lower back with a wince. The last twelve hours wore him out, but he wouldn't ever let you see it. But by the time he got back upstairs with a tray full of muffins, coffee and apples, he could tell you were just as exhausted as him. You had hardly moved from the spot where he left you, but he couldn't deny you looked completely relaxed.

You ate in a comfortable silence, picking at baked goods and feeding each other pieces of apple until you were full. Afterwards, you took his left hand in both of yours and admired the way it now looked adorned with a gold band, marking him as yours forever.

"Looks good on you," you murmured. He smiled and cupped your jaw with his other hand, kissing your lips so tenderly it took your breath away.

"What do we do now?" he asked, nuzzling the side of your face.

"What we promised we would do," you said with a sigh. You leaned into him, head coming to rest on his shoulder while his arms circled your waist, holding you as close as he could.

It took him a moment, but he understood what you meant.

I promise to love and cherish you. To remain faithful, to protect you, to laugh and cry with you. To grow together and lean on one another. Until my very last breath, this I swear.

His chest swelled at the memory and he felt so happy in that moment, he thought he could float away.

He took a deep breath and kissed the top of your head before replying.

"Okay."

[clarklovescarole]

Oct. 30, 1936: Is Hollywood just a workshop to Clark Gable?

Is Hollywood just a workshop to Clark Gable? 

To most of the other stars Hollywood is not only where they work but where their homes are. Their trips to Palm Springs, Caliente and Broadway are visits away from home. Not so with Clark Gable, to whom Hollywood is just a starting point for his many travels in search for adventure. 

Only this week he asked MGM for a three months’ leave of absence next Fall, so he may go hunting in the jungle. The minute he quits work Clark Gable quits Hollywood. “My home is under my hat,” he once remarked. 

A wanderer at heart is this romantic star, who holds his place regardless of the newcomers climbing to popularity. He is no home body. He has too much vitality and surplus energy which keeps him always on the go. It’s a good bet that when he retires from the screen, travel will be his hobby, and you will be hearing about him from every odd and out of the way corner of the globe. 

“Screen work is exacting, calling for both mental and physical effort that is a real strain,” he says. “I like to get away, press down the accelerator and head out into the open spaces. I let off steam, readjust my viewpoint and return rested and ready to tackle the job of acting again.” 

Hollywood has never had all of Gable. Even when making a picture he’s planning a hunting trip to Canada or Wyoming’s Jackson Hole, or a fishing expedition to Pyramid Lake in Nevada, where trout grow to the size of whales. 

When he sees a longer vacation, he’s off to South America, as he was last year, or contemplating Europe or the Orient as his next stopping place. 

Clark Gable loves excitement, action – away from the camera. He goes in for horse racing – his mare, Beverly Hills, isn’t a blue ribbon winner, but she keeps Gable sane while he’s on the job of making love to the gorgeous girls of the screen. 

Behind the screen there is his current romance with Carole Lombard, his first real playmate with congenial tastes. Carole is a gypsy at heart. She likes nothing better than a get away in slacks in the rumble seat of an auto. She’s vital and young and gay, with the finest sense of humor in Hollywood. 

Gable, married to women of maturity while on his upward climb, is now scaling the heights with the first woman who can laugh with him and not at him. 

The two are like a pair of children, they picnic together, and their chief amusement in the evening is popping corn before the fireside of Carole’s Bel Air mansion. 

Incidentally, there is no dining room at Carole’s house, grand though it be. She prefers card tables set anywhere around the house, and when there’s a crowd there’s a buffet supper. 

The informality and fun of Carole Lombard are the chief attraction for Clark Gable. Whether the two will wed when Gable’s divorce is final is in the lap of the fickle gods of filmdom. 

Oct. 30, 1936; retrieved from The Boston Globe

[shellcreekphoto]

After their intimate wedding in Jackson Hole, Tessa & Kyle planned a fun hot springs adventure session in Wyoming! They’re from Florida, & with Kyle as an underwater photographer, water is a pretty big part of their lives. They even got into the water during their elopement day in the Tetons for some fun photos! I went location scouting for their adventure session & this little area in Wyoming was just perfect. The waterfall, surrounding mountains, & the hot spring were just pristine! If you know anything about me, you should know that I LOVE hot springs. So I was super stoked when Tessa & Kyle were down for this adventure session. (at Tag Responsibly, Keep the West Wild) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnXLCQLpWHk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tsgjacksonholewyoming]

Get to Know Kendra of Simply Grand Events

Known for her exquisite events and ability to turn a client’s dream into a reality, the Jackson-based Kendra Hobson with Simply Grand Events has garnered national acclaim with recognition from Martha Stewart Weddings, Rocky Mountain Bride and Snippet & Ink to name a few thanks to her creativity and attention to detail. We caught up with the busy Kendra for a quick Q&A. Here, she is sharing her expertise on wedding planning in Jackson Hole and giving us a look into her every day.

What made you choose wedding planning in Jackson Hole?

It kind of chose me. I was working in interior design when the market took a toll for the worst, projects became slim, and the job felt stagnant. I was approached by my wedding florist to start a wedding planning company with a focus on design and full-planning. I hit the ground running with large weddings right out of the gate and fell in love with the clientele, the fast pace work environment, the local vendors, and the creative aspect of the whole thing. Making such an important event come to life and feel seamless is such a huge responsibility but I love it.

What is your typical day?

Most of my clients are destination weddings so most of my days are filled with emails and phone calls with clients and vendors as well as lots of research and design. I love to bring something new and unexpected into each event so finding those perfect elements to bring everything together is always a fun challenge.

What are the top wedding trends in Jackson Hole?

Trends definitely come and go but in the 8 years I’ve been doing this, I have found that couples always want to bring the outdoors in, not changing, but enhancing the beautiful landscape. Flowers, linens, and all of the details can make a big impact, but I like to keep the integrity of the surroundings and the people as the main focus.

The trends I’m seeing this year:

My couples this year are moving away from the typical wedding schedule with the sit down dinner, toasts, dancing, cake, etc. They want everything more fluid. Not casual, but less regimented.

The bohemian-rustic look is taking a break and people are going more classic, romantic, and wild. Keeping the focus on a few key elements that really play to the whole vision rather than a mish-mash of lots of eclectic pieces. Its much prettier and more purposeful, which I’m loving.

I try to encourage me clients to never shy away from something bold and unexpected; a cool textured linen, a modern lighting installation, a different seating arrangement for max flow and overall effect.

What number one thing do you do to prepare for a big wedding?

I make sure I have spoken with the couple one more time before the big day to ensure any loose ends or concerns are addressed and put to bed. That and I charge my phone. I am on the phone and running like crazy every wedding day. Keeping a super detailed schedule of the day with me at all times to make sure everything is running smoothly and efficiently.

What is the number one thing you tell your clients to do to prepare for the big day?

I would tell me clients that the number one thing they can do to prepare for their wedding day is “let go”. Let go of any family drama or wedding party drama. Let go of the schedule. Let go of the things that will go wrong or are not as you envisioned them because focusing on those things will make you miss the wonderful things that are going right. I try to make sure my clients are very informed about how the day will look and where they need to be so that on the big day they can truly feel like they can let go of it all and enjoy.

What is your favorite weekend thing to do when you aren’t working a big event?

I love going to the lake or river with my family, friends, and dogs to paddle board, fish, drink rose, chat and snack until everyone is sunburnt and ready to go home. Having a seasonal job that is very busy in the summer is bittersweet, but the water always resets my brain and reminds me to slow down.

What’s your go-to hostess gift?

A classic never dies! I try to always bring a nice bottle of wine and seasonal flowers. Nothing they have to display or hold on to, but that they can enjoy right away.

What do you love most about living in Jackson Hole?

The outdoors, the people, and the pace. I grew up in Wyoming, so being outside all year is essential. The people in Jackson Hole are so wonderfully diverse and cool. Everyone has a story and is incredibly laid back. As a young professional, it’s a really fun town to work in because everyone is very smart and creative. I love when meetings are a Josie’s hike or margaritas on the patio. It’s the only way to do business.

Contact Simply Grand Events | INSTAGRAM

[tabloidtoc]

OK, January 4

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Ashton Kutcher haunted by his mistakes

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: Jennifer Garner ready for romance -- Jennifer has proven she’s fine on her own but she’s eager for her happy ending and has even set her sights on some of Hollywood’s most eligible hunks like Chris Evans but seems happily single; she binge-watched Outlander and was totally taken with Sam Heughan and she also finds Martin Henderson very sexy but heard he has a girlfriend 

Page 6: After a tumultuous few years Hayden Panettiere’s 2021 is looking bright and she’s been working on herself since her split from toxic ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson -- she’s taken control of her life and is making good choices -- she’s been able to rebuild her life and her relationship with her daughter Kaya who lives in Ukraine with her dad and next on her agenda is reviving her once-hot career

Page 7: Justin Bieber who’s been a devoted member of the controversial celeb-favored Hillsong Church for years is studying to become a minister -- Justin has long credited Hillsong and especially charismatic and recently fired pastor Carl Lentz for saving him from his dark period of drugs, public meltdowns and arrests -- Justin doesn’t plan to give up his music career but he feels there’s a bigger calling out there for him

* Jessica Simpson has signed deals for both a docuseries and a fictionalized series based on her life but not everyone is so pumped about her tell-all tendencies and least of all is her ex-husband Nick Lachey -- for Nick it’s just dredging up a past that’s better left alone and Nick hopes that Jessica goes easy on him in the scripted series but deep down knows there’s precious little chance of that

* Madonna is majorly inserting herself in her daughter Lourdes Leon’s love life and she’s constantly on the phone asking how things are going between Lourdes and her socialite beau of three years Jonathan Puglia and she wants to know when they’re making things official -- Madonna even pushes for double dates so she can bring her 26-year-old boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams -- Lourdes appreciates how much her mom cares but she’s finding all the micromanaging too much to handle 

Page 8: Jason Aldean who boasts an $80 million fortune loves splashing his cash around especially when it comes to his children -- the singer who shares son Memphis and daughter Navy with wife Brittany and girls Kendyl and Keeley with his ex likes being seen as the moneybags and leaves tough love to the kids’ moms and he’s always pulling out $100 bills for his teens and buying his little ones new clothes, toys and high-tech gadgets even though they’re so young -- he’s definitely spoiling the kids but nobody complains about it so he just keeps on buying them stuff because nothing makes him happier 

* The milestone 6-0 is still months away but George Clooney is planning to do some serious partying for his birthday and he’s sparing no expense -- he’s looking at celebrations across the States and Europe plus a boys-only getaway to Mexico 

* Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence are having a blast filming their first movie together so much so that tongues are wagging about the pair’s fiery chemistry on the set -- even though Leo and Jen behave like total pros when the cameras aren’t rolling there’s a running joke among the cast and crew that Jen’s marriage to Cooke Maroney could be in trouble -- of course the reality is that Jen is crazy about her husband and Leo who is dating model Camila Morrone has a strict rule never to get involved with costars but still there’s an attraction that can’t be denied 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars get glamorous in glitzy looks -- Alexa Chung, Tiffany Haddish

Page 11: Maya Hawke, Sarah Hyland 

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Yara Shahidi vs. Cindy Bruna, Becky G vs. Sofia Carson 

Page 13: Celine Dion vs. Shailene Woodley

Page 14: News in Photos -- Jessie James Decker in a pink bikini in Nashville

Page 15: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt and their son Gunner doing a Christmas card shoot in L.A., Jessica Alba spent the day handing out Honest goodies at the Baby2Baby Holiday Drive-Thru Distribution in L.A. 

Page 16: Gwen Stefani rocked a cat-themed holiday jumpsuit while on the way to the recording studio in Santa Monica, Leighton Meester surfing in Malibu 

Page 17: Maria Sharapova brought back the 1970s during a photoshoot in L.A., Pink kept it casual during a coffee run to Starbucks in L.A., Tia Mowry returned home with a full trunk of gifts and goodies in L.A. 

Page 18: Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas exploring London 

Page 20: Let’s Get Physical -- Robin Wright took her bicycle out for a spin in L.A., Chris Hemsworth shows off his ripped body while lifting a tire, Winnie Harlow in L.A. 

Page 22: Deck the Halls -- newly-engaged Jonathan Bennett gushed of spending his first Christmas with fiance Jaymes Vaughan, Jonathan and Drew Scott dressed as elves 

Page 23: Jon Bon Jovi and his dog, Selena Gomez with her dog Winnie in front of the Christmas tree, Brooke Burke kicked off the season by signing ornaments that will be auctioned off by Operation Smile 

Page 24: Malin Akerman arranged the sheets and blankets and pillows at a Hotel Style Collection from Walmart event in NYC, Jeremy Renner filmed a scene for Hawkeye in NYC, Chrishell Stause stepped out for a morning walk with her rescue pooch Gracie in L.A. 

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Marc Anthony’s elegant estate in Coral Gables, Florida 

Page 28: Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart are planning to renew their vows on Valentine’s Day which is 12 years to the day after Harrison proposed to Calista on their sprawling Jackson Hole, Wyoming ranch -- Calista is incredibly touched that Harrison is organizing this and he’s thoughtfully arranging to have her favorite flowers to be flown in and has already booked a local band and a caterer and baker 

Page 29: Emily Blunt and John Krasinski might be ready for baby No. 3 but friends are encouraging them to get their marriage on track first -- the two have had a tough couple of years and John can be hard to deal with and cranky when he’s working -- while the duo tend to put a super-positive spin on their marriage in public not everyone is convinced things are so rosy at home but Emily wants another child and so does John so they’re willing to take the risk 

* Meghan Markle and Prince Harry plan to kick off 2021 with a much-needed tropical vacation -- after an emotionally turbulent year Meghan and Harry are ready for this break -- following a quiet Christmas at home the couple is looking forward to relaxing on a warm beach somewhere, sleeping in, soaking up nature’s beauty and reconnecting as a couple -- they’re considering a private island in Hawaii or off the coast of Fiji 

Page 30: Taylor Swift who’s been collecting bridal magazines and wedding ideas since she was a teen will have to adjust to the idea of a small sequestered affair when her boyfriend Joe Alwyn officially pops the question -- the once-outgoing singer has turned into a hermit since hooking up with the British actor who insists on total privacy and loathes attention and now Tay’s inner circle is said to be worried that in Joe’s continued efforts to fly under the radar he’ll ultimately nix the lavish nuptials Taylor’s long envisioned

* Justin Timberlake and Olivia Wilde have a past -- dating briefly in 2011 and costarring in two films but they won’t have a future if Justin’s wife Jessica Biel has any say -- Justin is eager to work with newly single Olivia again but the collab between the old pals is a total no-no as far as Jess is concerned because she’s always seen Olivia as a threat and particularly now that she’s split from Jason Sudeikis

* Love Bites -- Bachelor Nation’s Emily Ferguson and hockey player William Karlsson are engaged, Christina Milian and Matt Pokora have another baby on the way, Gleb Savchenko and Cassie Scerbo dating 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Ashton Kutcher haunted by his past -- the actor is wrestling with major demons and regrets -- the grisly murder of his then-girlfriend Ashley Ellerin has stayed with him -- Ashton and wife Mila Kunis have weathered some storms but they’re in a good place now

Page 36: Celebrity Dads and Their Darling Daughters -- Michael and Carys Douglas, John and Ella Bleu Travolta, Lionel and Sofia Richie 

Page 37: Don and Dakota Johnson, Phil and Lily Collins 

Page 38: Ryan and Ava Phillippe, Mark and Lola Consuelos, Johnny and Lily-Rose Depp 

Page 39: Lenny and Zoe Kravitz, Clint and Francesca Eastwood, Alec and Ireland Baldwin, Rod and Ruby Stewart 

Page 40: Interview -- Charlize Theron does it all -- the actress, mom and producer talks about taking on projects that are close to her heart 

Page 42: New Year, New You -- kick-start a healthy 2021 with these celeb-approved wellness resolutions 

Page 46: Style Week -- Good American cofounded by Khloe Kardashian recently launched its first-ever footwear collection 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 55: Q&A with Brian Austin Green 

Page 58: Buzz -- Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joined their parents Prince William and Duchess Kate on the red carpet for the very first time and held hands on their way to London’s Palladium to watch the National Lottery’s Pantoland

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Gwyneth Paltrow on getting starstruck, Kurt Russell on wife Goldie Hawn’s penchant for sleeping in total darkness, Jimmy Fallon on which SNL costar he’d want to be stuck on a desert island with (Tina Fey), Chrissy Teigen on being embarrassed 

Page 61: Megan Thee Stallion on the guidance she gets from Jay-Z and Beyonce, Frances McDormand on hooking up with husband Joel Coen, Chad Michael Murray on seeing pics from his heartthrob days, Rachel Brosnahan on what the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fans can look forward to 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Capricorn John Legend turned 42 on December 28

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Larry David 

[drtanstravels]

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in because we’ve had a relatively quiet two months, until now that is. We had been anticipating our first venture back to mainland USA since we left New York three years ago for quite a while, but for slightly different reasons than the usual excitement that comes with a big trip; the bulk of our stay was going to be in the state of Wyoming for another one of Anna’s conferences, this time the Midwest Ocular Angiography Conference being held in the small town of Jackson. We were going to be in a white, working class state that voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump and one where a licence isn’t required to carry a concealed weapon so we figured the two of us together might draw a bit of attention. Then there was the fact that Wyoming is the least populous state in the United States so when we were looking for information about where we’d be staying, among the endless memes such as these, we also found a lot of people, mostly ironically, even calling into question the state’s existence:

Our plan was to fly out on the night of Friday, July 5, taking a 15-hour direct flight to Los Angeles, California, but due to the time difference, landing around the same time we left. We would then stay a night in LA, fly out to Jackson, Wyoming where we would spend the following four nights before spending a similar amount of time traveling around both the Great Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Let’s get this show on the road!

I think someone wanted to come with us

Friday, July 5, 2019 I had a lot of loose ends to tie up during the day, then Anna returned from work and we began to pack. This was no easy task as the temperature in Wyoming is a little scattered. With the exception of a couple of colder outliers that were in the mid-teens, most days were going to be between 27°C (80.6°F) and 31°C (87.8°F), however, the nights would be quite cool, every evening in single digits, sometimes dropping to 0°C (32°F). This meant we would have to pack for both summer and winter, especially due to the fact that Anna had also planned to spend two nights “glamping” in a tent. Anyway, we went through our boxes of winter clothes, got everything packed, dropped the dog off at Brownie Buddies, and made our way to the airport.

There’s been a recent trend of disasters occurring around the same time we are in, or not long after we leave, a country:

We were in Honolulu, Hawaii (I realise it’s not a county in itself, but part of the US) for an ophthalmology conference from April 29 – May 2, 2018. The Kilauea volcano erupted the day we left, followed by several earthquakes including one at a magnitude of 6.9, as well as multiple lava flows. 700 houses were destroyed.

We then stayed in Tokyo, Japan from May 2 – May 7 on the way back from the Hawaiian conference. Two months later Western Japan suffered its worst natural disaster since the 2011 earthquake and the worst weather-related disaster in 36 years with flooding and landslides killing around 200 people and two million more evacuated after July 5. Another two months after the typhoon, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 occured in Hokkaido, killing at least 39.

We visited Chiang Mai, Thailand for another conference from June 27, 2018, I returned on June 30 and Anna on July 2. In what was only a relatively small story when it broke, 12 teenage soccer players and their coach became trapped in a cave in neighbouring Chiang Rai on June 23, not being rescued until 18 days later, one volunteer rescuer suffocating in the process.

We were in Hangzhou, China from September 12 – 15, 2018, with Anna arriving on the 13th from Hong Kong. The day I landed in Hangzhou, Hong Kong, also technically a “special administrative region of China”, was hit by Typhoon Mangkhut, leaving 400 seeking medical care and 1,500 taking refuge in temporary shelters.

Later in the month we had a holiday in Turkey from September 24 – 29 and they didn’t escape lightly, either. Not only was there a hurricane warning for Turkey on the day we left to return to Singapore, but Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by his own government just two days later as well.

This year we spent February 1 – 5 in Sri Lanka, a mere two months before a series of bombings in churches and hotels in Colombo killed 257 people.

So, what does all of this have to do with our trip to Wyoming? Well, we had a one-day layover in Los Angeles and a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit about 240 km (150 miles) north of LA just before we departed from Singapore, that’s all.

We caught our flight, landed, and it is alway amusing people-watching at Los Angeles International Airport, including the middle-aged woman we encountered resembling Lolo Ferrari who wouldn’t be able to sleep on her back for fear of being crushed under the weight of her own ridiculous breast implants. Once through immigration we caught a shuttle from our terminal to our hotel at the airport and an extremely strong female driver who appeared to have just returned from the manicurist picked up our exceptionally heavy suitcases like they were nothing and loaded them onto the shuttle. When we got to the hotel we grabbed our bags and I asked her how she managed to do that and keep a full set. She just gave me a cheeky smile, winked, and drove off. We checked into the hotel before making our way downstairs to a bar where we pulled up a seat for a few drinks, but the staff all seemed a little freaked out, talking about the earthquake. It seemed a little fresh in them all until I looked up at a screen showing CNN and the numbers didn’t quite add up. It turned out that another 7.1 magnitude quake with several aftershocks hit about an hour before we landed at LAX. They weren’t dwelling on the previous day’s occurrence, this stronger quake that everyone was nervous about had only just occurred. The staff just wanted to get out of there and check that their homes were still intact, plus we were pretty tired so we just had a couple of drinks and went back up to our room.

Saturday, July 6, 2019 You never get a great sleep when you make a flight as long as the one we had, constantly waking up during the night, struggling to get back to sleep, then waking up early again. This left us a fair bit of time to kill in LA before we had to fly out later that night so we decided to catch a cab to a nearby shopping mall, but first we grabbed some breakfast in the hotel cafe. One thing we were aware of, but to the degree of which we had completely forgotten, was the portion sizes in the US. Case in point, we got a breakfast burrito each and probably wouldn’t need anything else until dinner! Time to walk this one off in Westfield Culver City.

Add “NBA record most missed shots in NBA history” to that list

This mall had a ton of sporting goods stores selling NBA jerseys, caps, and other stuff, predominately Lakers gear. I’ve mentioned before that I loathe, hate, and despise the Lakers, think Kobe Bryant (left) is the most overrated player to ever lace them up, and believe that LeBron James’ spoilt, overprivileged attitude is ruining the league. This offseason the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, a deal that could ruin the franchise for years to come if it doesn’t work out and left them wanting to sign another star player Their eyes were set firmly on free agent Kawhi Leonard, whom had just led the Toronto Raptors to the NBA championship. Instead, Leonard announced that very morning that he intended to sign with the Lakers’ crosstown rival L.A. Clippers, a team that also managed to trade for Oklahoma City Thunder star Paul George, and Lakers fans were PISSED! There was a guy who ran one of the stores, an overweight dude in a Kobe Bryant throwback jersey and all other Lakers attire who was close to tears. “If only we still had Kobe, man,” he said longingly of a player that retired three years ago. “He’d be 41, but we’d still have a chance, with Kobe you always had a chance.” He’s talking about a guy who couldn’t stay healthy toward the end of his career, playing a grand total of  107 of a possible 244 games over his final three seasons, the Lakers’ three worst regular seasons in franchise history for that matter, all while pulling in a cool US$78,953,000 in salary over that time. Yeah, he’d get it done today.

We spent the bulk of the afternoon wandering around Westfield, finding quirky objects such as Twix chocolate bar packets that claimed to contain four of only the left-side bars. We are attending Anna’s cousin’s wedding in Vancouver, Canada in September so I managed to pick up a three-piece Calvin Klein suit plus a shirt from JC Penney for a grand total of only US$355.88 (AU$506.49) plus tax, well under half-price and it actually fits. This isn’t boasting, but the price will make a bit of sense when I use it as a comparison later in this post. Anyway, take a look at some photos from our less than one day in Los Angeles:

The TV while we were in the bar on Friday night

Breakfast is served

These things were enormous

For those who believe the right Twix bar is unlucky and need twice as many in total

And vice versa

Anna had a weird craving for In-N-Out Burger, but we didn’t have time and before long we were back in the airport, ready to take a short flight from LA to Jackson, Wyoming. There is only one flight per day to Jackson and I was beginning to think there may be some truth to the conspiracy that Wyoming may not even exist when we boarded the plane and there were a grand total of 12 passengers onboard. Anyway, a bit of background information on our alleged destination:

Jackson is a small city in the Jackson Hole valley of Teton County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 9,577 at the 2010 census, up from 8,647 in 2000. It is the county seat of Teton County and is its largest town.

The town gained significant fame when a livestream of the town square went viral on YouTube in 2016, leading to much fascination with the town’s elk antler arch, its law enforcement, and its prevalence of red trucks.

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,577 people, 3,964 households, and 1,858 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 79.8% White, 0.4% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 15.2% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.2% of the population.

Upon finding out those demographics, I immediately set myself the goal of getting a photo with one of those nine or 10 Pacific Islanders if Wyoming did indeed exist, especially if they drive a red truck. Failing that, a guy in a MAGA hat shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. I can honestly vouch for the existence of Wyoming as we landed in the Jackson Hole airport. No memories planted by the government, just real visions of a tiny airport decorated with discarded elk antlers. Anna had hired a car, but we wouldn’t be picking that up until the following day. Instead, we had a driver collecting us to take us to our motel about 10 minutes outside of town. When we arrived at the Flat Creek Inn at 8:30pm, sitting directly opposite the National Elk Refuge, the place had an appearance resembling kind of a much larger version of the motel where Earl and Randy lived in My Name Is Earl. In fact, if the motel were located in any major city in the US, it seemed almost inevitable that at least one hooker or backpacker would have been murdered there and stuffed into a wall cavity. Realistically though, it was a nice enough place and pretty much suited our needs. Our flight, the airport, and our home for the night:

Our packed flight

Flying over “Wyoming”

Anna out the front of the airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Outside our room

The store where we’d be buying dinner

In our room

A little dingy, but it’ll be fine for the night

Anna sitting on the bed

Me trying to give the room a sexier vibe

After we had checked into our room it was time to try to find something to eat and that is where any semblance of normalcy ceased. This was truly an area where you couldn’t achieve anything without a car and, despite being only a 10-minute ride, a taxi into Jackson was US$40.00 (AU$57.00) each way so we were limited to the convenience store that was linked to our hotel, one that closed at midnight. Now, one thing that needs to be made clear here for anyone who hasn’t suffered from jet-lag before is that it is simply agony, especially when it is the result of an excruciatingly long flight from South-East Asia to North America. Traveling to the west coast of the US isn’t quite as bad as the east, but it’s still awful — You are unable to keep your eyes open at 4:00pm, it’s almost as if you suffer from narcolepsy and you have no problem falling asleep once you go to bed if you make it to what would be the time you would normally sleep back home, but then you find yourself wide awake a couple of hours later at 3:00am, unable to switch back off. The one upside of that late-afternoon and onward period where it’s tough to stay awake is that you are also a little delirious and anything can become absolutely hilarious. That is the position in which we found ourselves at this point. Anyway, we went down to the convenience store, but there wasn’t a lot of food options and no alcohol, however, there was a microwave and an electric coffee maker in our room so we bought two packets of instant noodles, a large frozen pizza, some jerky, and a small turkey pot pie, as well as some Tabasco sauce and two bottles of sparkling water. Dinner would soon be served. We took our instant foodstuffs back to the motel, I went to the bathroom while Anna heated some water in the coffee maker for our noodles and upon return was informed of some unpleasant news — Our room was devoid of all cutlery and crockery. Never mind, she came up with the brilliant idea of using two coffee stirrers for chopsticks. This method worked perfectly between her Kermit the Frog-like fingers, but wasn’t conducive to particularly successful eating in my massive mitts, although I eventually managed in the end, much to Anna’s amusement. But this was nothing, things were only getting started. It was time to prepare our second course, a large, frozen, pepperoni pizza. This one we did have the equipment for, or so we thought. Our pizza was vacuum-sealed so I had to tear the inner package open with my teeth. Once done I also discovered it was a little large for the microwave, but on the other hand the microwave had a button specifically for pizza. Our pizza spun and spun, smearing cheese and tomato paste all over the inside of the oven and then it occured to me; This was America and that button was for reheating cold pizza, not cooking a frozen one. This was not some dual convection oven, this was a basic microwave and if you’ve ever tried to cook an unbaked bread product in a microwave before, you’ll be more than aware that it essentially just steams it. Our microwave was getting cheesier and pastier as time went on so we had no choice but to remove the pizza and cut it in half, sans knife. Anna’s inner-MacGuyver kicked in and she thought cutting through our steamed pizza with the cardboard base upon which it had come would be the best approach. The only problem was that there were no plates to put the two halves on so Anna gnawed half of her portion of the floppy, steamed pizza from the cardboard, laughing to the point of crying at how ridiculous the situation was, while at the same time lamenting that her half wasn’t cooked properly and quitting halfway through. I started to eat my share of the pizza from the glass base of the microwave, but agreed that it needed further steaming. Nothing an extra minute of heating couldn’t fix, I even got the crust to rise a little. We gave up on the idea of even attempting to eat the pie so I cleaned the cheese and tomato paste from the inside of the microwave using makeup-removing wipes, followed by washing the microwave base in the bathroom sink, leaving an oily, red ring around the basin. What better way is there to follow a hilariously bad meal than with a hilariously bad film? RoboCop was on TV so it seemed that our night had just planned itself. Some of the offerings on hand that evening:

On the menu tonight

Easy for the daintier among us

Not so much for the larger of the species

We tried to make it fit

Pure ingenuity

Going…

Going…

Gone.

Nothing some medicated wipes couldn’t fix

My half turned out okay for a steamed pizza

Sunday, July 7, 2019 It was tough staying asleep again that night and we were awake early so we did a check of the room to make sure there were no lasting repercussions of the steamed pizza episode, checked out of the motel, and waited for our ride to take us into town to pick up our rental car, snapping a few pictures in the process. Anna had done a little research and found a cafe and bakery called Persephone so we drove down once we had our Toyota Carola and pulled up an outdoor seat for brunch. The cafe was run by hipsters so it would probably be one of the only places around to get a half-decent cup of coffee, plus we had learnt our lesson the previous day so we only ordered an appetiser each, instead of bloating ourselves on a enormous main meal when we don’t usually even eat breakfast.

Before long our brunch was finished, but it was too early to check into our new hotel so we decided to have a look around the shops. We had never been to this part of the US so I was expecting it to be a bit like Fargo, either the film or the series, but I was pleasantly surprised, however, one thing needs to be said — There is a ton of taxidermy around these parts! Go into almost any store and there is going to be anything from stuffed jackalope creations on a small table, to stuffed and mounted elk and bison heads on the wall, to full bearskin rugs with the head still attached. Add to that the wide variety of redneck t-shirts and and cowboy gear on offer, fossilised animals, and bear shit-shaped chocolates and we had an interesting afternoon ahead of us. Anna likes to find a ring for every place she visits and although there were mainly ones with ugly turquoise stones, she managed to find a unique, black gold ring in a jewellery store that has an ancient elk tooth that is actually a remnant of a tusk from when elk hadn’t fully evolved into the animal we have today. I picked up a Wyoming t-shirt with different regional animal turds on the back. Once done, before checking into our hotel, we went to a supermarket because we wanted to see what you would find in a small town US supermarket in a sparsely-populated state and we weren’t left disappointed; there was an entire bar of different flavoured fried chicken wings, you could get 80 fl.oz (2.36lt) jars of pickles, but I guess that’s because there isn’t a lot else to do in this town, especially in winter, but eat. We just bought a foam cooler for later in the trip, as well as some other supplies, but we were delayed on the way back to the car when a gust of wind came up and blew the lid off the cooler, hitting an older Mexican man in the head in the parking lot. He felt guilty for some reason and chased after it, returning the lid to us.

We then went back and checked into our home for the next three nights, the Four Seasons Resorts and Residence Jackson Hole. It was a really nice place, our room was massive, and there was food and drinks for Anna’s conference in one of the downstairs conference rooms, as well as outside by some fire pits, so we just spent the night snacking and drinking with old colleagues and some new friends. I didn’t get any pictures from the evening, but here’s the motel from the previous night, the vibe of some of the stores, and our new room:

Our motel from the previous night

The Elk Refuge across the road from the motel, sans elk

On the way into town

Hanging out with what was once a bison

This stuff was everywhere!

Anna was worried she wouldn’t see any bears on this trip so she wanted this taken

As soon as I saw this book my post had a title

One of the finer volumes ever published on the topic of wild faeces recognition

Seriously, almost all shops are like this inside

You could just settle for a fur

The perfect gift for your coprophiliac friends

Anna was a fan of this Dolly Parton picture

Fossils for sale

Some of the redneck attire available

Part of the wing bar inside the supermarket

More wings

I should’ve put something else with these pickles for perspective

Looking into a small portion of our bathroom at the Four Seasons

Part of the room

The view from the bed

Monday, July 8, 2019 Anna’s conference began early each morning and finished around 1:00pm, which wasn’t an issue for either of us because of the jet-lag and even if we did manage to nod off again after waking up in the wee hours, we’d be wide awake again about 7:00am, just in time for the conference. Anna would go about her business in the morning and we had a Nespresso machine in our room so I would drink coffee and watch the NBA Summer League until she returned, but today didn’t look like it was officially the third week of summer, it was one of those outliers I mentioned at the beginning of this post; cold outside, about 13°C (55.4°F), and pouring rain. When Anna returned the rain had stopped, but it was still cold. We went and had lunch in neighbouring Teton Village and then took the arial tram up the mountain into the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort:

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) is a ski resort in the western United States, at Teton Village, Wyoming. In the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains, it is located in Teton County, 12 miles (20 km) northwest of Jackson and due south of Grand Teton National Park. It is named after the historically significant Jackson Hole valley and is known for its steep terrain and a large continuous vertical drop of 4,139 ft (1,262 m).

Jackson Hole’s original aerial tram was closed to the public in the fall of 2006 and replaced with a new tram that opened in 2008. The tram’s vertical rise is 4,139 feet (1,262 m) to an elevation of 10,450 feet (3,185 m) above sea level.

That explains a whole lot, because the previous day we had both felt a bit out of breath at times, but we didn’t realise that we were at that elevation. Denver, Colorado is known as the “Mile High City” due to its elevation and I experienced a little bit of breathlessness when I was there, but nothing like this. However, it turns out that at 5280 feet (1609.3 meters) above sea level, Denver is barely half the elevation of the Mountain Resort and only about three quarters the average elevation of the entire Jackson Hole valley, something we definitely weren’t prepared for.

Once we were at the summit it became abundantly clear that I was glad we had come in summer. People were saying that it had been snowing as recently as a week prior and before we arrived the previous day there had been a storm of enormous hailstones out of a clear sky! There was still a bit of snow on the ground and a fair bit on the peaks so we went inside the cabin there to have a cup of awful coffee and then started to explore around the area. People around here are completely oblivious to the cold, as was proven to us time and time again on this journey, the first evidence of this was locals walking around near the snow in shorts and t-shirts! We were only out a short while when an announcement came over stating that everybody needed to get back on the tram or be stranded in the cabin for an unknown period of time, because there was a thunderstorm coming and if lightning struck the metal platform for the tram, everyone standing on it would be fried. Instead of packing onto the tram, we sat in the cabin, drank more shitty coffee, walked around and got a bit wet outside, and waited for the next opportunity to leave, embracing the lack of children in the cabin and the space in the tram, all the while the operator played classic rock on our descent and we spotted foxes and marmots on the mountain. Our day up until that point:

A little grim outside our hotel window that morning

A challange in the restaurant in our hotel. That’s almost a 1kg burger and a litre of beer

Heading into Teton Village

“Hey, let’s go up there!”

Beginning our ascent

A panoramic view of the summit

Anna was complaining that the wind was making her teeth hurt

These people are fearless

Coming over a bit bleak

Making the most of everyone else fleeing

It’s nicer up here alone

A fox running around

Now beginning our descent

Another fox in the snow

About halfway down

Most shops and restaurants in and around Jackson close at 10:00pm so we decided to take the opportunity to drive into town and get our outfits for the Western-themed dinner the following night. It was also essential that we remembered to refer to the clothing as our “outfits” and not “costumes,” because this is how a large portion of the local population actually dress every day, including some of those in attendance.

We found several stores selling what we needed and it soon became abundantly clear why cowboys used to rob banks and shoot people back in the day — It was so they could steal money to buy their clothes! The reason I mentioned the Calvin Klein suit that I had purchased in Los Angeles a couple of days earlier for US$355.00 was for a comparison. For my “outfit” for the dinner I figured I’d get a Western shirt, some boots maybe with a fringe running up the side, a hat, possibly some chaps, but those dreams were all shattered when I saw the prices. A shirt was at least US$100.00, most pushing US$200.00. It was impossible to get a pair of boots my sizes for much less than US$500.00. I even found the sweater The Dude wears in the film The Big Lobowski, marketed as such and it was US$239.00! For a zip-up woollen sweater! Fortunately, I was able to snag a shirt for US$59.00 on a post-fourth of July sale rack and when you see it you’ll realise why, plus a cheap hat for another US$39.00 (all plus tax, of course).

We looked around a few of the areas of town that we didn’t explore the previous day and soon it was time for dinner. We’re not used to this cooler weather, plus we both love cheese, so what better option could there possibly be than fondue? We found a place called Alpenhof Lodge that had fondue back in Teton village near our hotel, then settled into a bar claiming to be “World famous” called the Mangy Moose Steakhouse and Saloon for a few beers and some live country music, or “Farm Emo” as I like to call it, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time we’d be listening to it on this journey. A pattern we would discover while in this part of the country was that bars close at 11:00pm no matter what day it is, but we still managed to have a good time that night before walking back to our place to try to get some much needed sleep. How the rest of the day looked:

In another arch made from discarded elk antlers. There are a few of these around

I see what they did there….

The main street of Jackson

I love ‘The Big Lobowski’, but I’m not paying that much

$567.00 is the sale price for a very small pair of boots

That’s the original!

All the cars here are enormous!

Someone’s excited for fondue

There was a ‘Galaga’ machine where we had dinner, too

Settling into the Mangy Moose

Our entertainment for the night

They inexplicably have an original 1950s Las Vegas showgirl costume framed on the wall near the toilets there…

…as well as what looks like the evolution of bear traps

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 It was our last full day in Jackson prior to moving on to the holiday leg of our stay and the weather was nice so we had to make the most of it before I made a complete fool of myself in front of a bunch of strangers that night. I did my usual routine — a coffee and NBA Summer League — before Anna returned home, we had a bite for lunch, and then she confirmed what she had been considering the previous day as a way to fill in today; we were going to go whitewater rafting on Snake River:

The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At 1,078 miles (1,735 km) long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean.

Formed by the confluence of three tiny streams on the southwest flank of Two Oceans Plateau in Yellowstone National Park, western Wyoming, the Snake starts out flowing west and south into Jackson Lake. Its first 50 miles (80 km) run through Jackson Hole, a wide valley between the Teton Range and the Gros Ventre Range. Below the tourist town of Jackson, the river turns west and flows through Snake River Canyon, cutting through the Snake River Range and into eastern Idaho.

When Anna gets her mind set on something her intent is always to do it properly, however, I didn’t have to worry about her inadvertently signing up to do the full length of the river, just a stretch of about eight miles (12.8km) through Snake River Canyon, an area known to have some of the best whitewater rafting in the US. There were several options regarding the size of rafts and the amounts of people thereon, but we wanted to keep it intimate so we opted for one with room for eight people plus our guide. Our journey down the river was going to consist of Anna and myself, as well as Adrian, one of Anna’s colleagues that works in Sydney, Australia, and Nicole, an ophthalmologist we had met at the conference that we got on well with from Chicago. The other four spots would be taken up by some randoms that wanted to join us, which ended up being a family of four from Oregon. We took a shuttle bus for about an hour to the point in the river where our journey would begin. For a few dollars extra you could rent a wetsuit, but it was a nice, warm day so everyone besides Adrian and Nicole decided they didn’t need one, a decision we would all regret in hindsight. We all put on some sunscreen, the combination with Adrian’s black wetsuit making him look a pale shade of blue, as if he had a vitamin-D deficiency or maybe it was just his first ever time in actual sunlight, but he would have the last laugh. Once we had donned our lifejackets we pushed the raft out into a calm part of the river, boarded, and Hunter, our guide who was also clearly a massive stoner that had his own radio show with his friend, gave us our instructions as we floated downstream, informing us on how to react to each command, what to do if we have an “out of boat experience,” that type of thing. You could tell from a million miles away that this dude spent the nine months of the year that weren’t summer completely baked in neighbouring Colorado, just punching decriminalised cones and snowboarding. One thing that he said, however, had me a little worried; he told me I was going to freeze in my cotton t-shirt. Should’ve opted for the wetsuit. After receiving our advice and instructions we started to hit some small rapids, but it was when the first wave sprayed over our boat that we truly realised that this river was formed from glacial runoff and was absolutely freezing. The four of us were seated in the back two rows of the boat, the family in the front two with the father and the teenaged son having volunteered to be at the very front of the boat. Every time we hit a rough patch that sent water over us the teenaged kid seemed to cop it the worst and from the very first time you could just see him perpetually shivering and his teeth audibly chattering the entire ride. It was a really great time, the scenery was stunning, and it was hilarious when we would see a capsized boat or people doing something stupid and a possibly still-stoned Hunter would make chicken noises and yell either “Utah” or “Florida” at them, the latter an obvious reference to the less than stunning track record people from that state have in the common sense department. Not all of the people in the water were in there accidentally, though. Some of them were swimming! I mentioned earlier about how these people are impervious to cold and some thought a dip in the frigid waters was rather refreshing, one group even turning their inflatable boat upside-down and used it as a slip-n-slide. Me? I was soaked in my t-shirt, probably shouldn’t have worn socks either, my hands and feet were wrinkled and completely devoid of any colour whatsoever. In my own defence, it wasn’t the kind of boat I was expecting and I didn’t think I would get quite so wet, but we had an absolute blast and I’m just thankful I didn’t have an “out of boat experience.” Here’s a few shots from inside the boat, some of our group, and a couple more of our beautiful surroundings:

Heading down to the water behind the family that would be joining us

Yup, we’ll be on a small one of those

All aboard!

And we’re off

Going to have to put the camera away and paddle soon

Adrian, Anna, Hunter, Nicole, and my saturated self

The upside-down boat is the slip-n-slide

It doesn’t look that rough, but it certainly was

Another area of the river

Looking back on from where we had come

We got back in the shuttle bus and made the one hour trip back to the hotel, trying to get the feeling back in our lower extremities the entire way, as the moment we had spent a large portion of the previous day shopping for was almost upon us; when we arrived back at the hotel it would be time for us to start getting ready for the Western-themed dinner. I was a little nervous about the dinner for the sole reason that when I purchased my cowboy shirt, it was one of those seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time moments. You see, as I mentioned, the shirt was on a discount rack for fourth of July stock that the store now needed to get rid of, but this wasn’t just any old shirt — It was an extremely ugly shirt with a design based on the good ol’ stars ‘n’ bars. Yes, my shirt was a particularly patriotic-looking one that resembled the American flag and I was worried the irony would be lost on some at the event. Admittedly, it really was the cheapest shirt I could find, but my concern was that some people wouldn’t find it anywhere near as funny as we initially did. At least there would be others that would look just as stupid as I would, as Adrian had just ordered a generic cowboy costume online and this was his first time even trying it on, although we had to remind him to refrain from calling it a “costume,” because it closely resembled the wardrobes of some in attendance.

When we arrived there was a live country band churning out some more Farm Emo so Anna started to do the rounds, chatting to colleagues, friends, and acquaintances and I hit the bar, which had some really good local microbrews available. Soon it was time to sit down for dinner, but not long after we were seated some of the organisers wanted to get everybody up again to do line-dancing and they were relentless! They just wouldn’t take a “no” for an answer, but fortunately they also weren’t going to get a “yes” out of myself. It was a good thing too, because the end result wasn’t pretty:

As you can clearly see some people got a little more into the line dancing than others, possibly even enjoying themselves, as is also evident here:

The food started to come out and the line-dancing devolved into just regular dancing to country music for those that refused to give up the dance floor. Dinner was good, but there weren’t a whole lot of options and there was one woman on our table who had allergies to seafood and nuts, as well as being lactose intolerant, ruling out the bulk of what was served to her. The night continued on, but one thing that occurs when drinking at high altitudes is it takes you nowhere near as much to get drunk so the crowd started to peter out a little as people began to realise they were getting sleepy and went back to their rooms. As for Anna, Nicole, and myself, we decided to hit up the Mangy Moose again, joined by a cool pharmaceutical representative from Chicago we had met, Tony. We hung around in the Mangy Moose until they were going to close, the girls getting served special, albeit exceptionally strong, house Slurpee cocktails. When the Moose closed, we headed back to our rooms, myself content in the knowledge that I would never need to wear that shirt ever again. Or so I thought; one of our plans for this trip was to attend a rodeo and Anna was insistent that I wear it, fully aware that it could possibly get me killed. Anyway, here’s how the dinner and drinks looked:

This is what I’d be rocking

More Farm Emo

On the menu tonight

Some really got into the line-dancing

The table centrepiece

It was a fun night, but I couldn’t dress like this all the time

Back at the Mangy Moose

The next day we had lunch with Tony and then drove out to Grand Teton National Park to begin the holiday leg of our journey.

Stay tuned for the conclusion to this story to see us exploring the US Pacific Northwest and “glamping” in Grand Teton National Park, as well as staying in the world famous Yellowstone National Park, encountering more than our share of geysers and wildlife along the way. If that doesn’t interest you, at least check to see if I have my Borat moment at a rodeo:

via GIPHY

Hanging out in Wyoming, an American state that some don't even believe exists It's been a while since I've checked in because we've had a relatively quiet two months, until now that is.

[aavvkk11-blog]

Mixing Families: How to Include Your Kids in Your Big Day

Blending Families: How to Include Your Kids in Your Big Day Today it is not at all uncommon to find couples waiting until after they have children before getting married. Other couples may be remarrying or getting married for the first time, after being in previous relationships, and bringing children into the union. Whether you are finally tying the knot or blending your families, here are some great tips for including your children in your wedding day.

Make a Family Crest

If you or your beloved, or even one of your kids, is artistically inclined, designing your new family crest is a beautiful symbol of the union of your families. You can also find an image or design that has meaning, or turn your initials into a monogram. Once you have found the perfect design, incorporate it into lapel pins, rings, or pendants that the whole family can wear.

Include Some of the Kids’ Favorites

Does your child have a favourite colour? Why not make it the palette for your wedding theme. Turn your children’s favourite snacks into a candy bar for guests to enjoy. Have your caterer include a special menu item featuring your child’s name. Incorporating some of your child’s favourites into your wedding will make him or her feel included and extra special.

Include Your Children in the Ceremony

If your child or children are old enough, consider asking them to stand in as your Maid of Honor or Best Man. This is an especially wonderful gesture if the step-mom-to-be is asking her stepdaughter to stand in for this important role, or the step-dad-to-be is asking his stepson. For the bride, consider having your children “give you away.”

The wedding ceremony is also the perfect time for the new stepparent to reaffirm their devotion and commitment to their new son or daughter. Have a unity ceremony with candles or candy, if the children are too young to safely handle candles. If your ceremony does not leave much room for augmentation, make a special toast to the kids during the reception.

Give Your Children a Special “Morning Of” Gift

It is common for brides and grooms to exchange mementos and gifts before the wedding, so why not include the kids? Choose something that they will really love or that will become a treasured memory of your wedding for your children. To make it extra special, make sure to include a note about how much you love them.

Make a Child Section on Your Wedding Web Site

Let your guests know how important your children are by including a special section about them. Include pictures, anecdotes, and other fun facts about your children. Does your child have a favourite restaurant or place to visit? Mention that on your site so out-of-town guests will have “hot” recommendations.

Popular and Trendy Wedding Dress Colours Besides White by Deneita Evans | Bridal Gowns, Uncategorized, unique wedding ideas, Wedding Ideas |

When you think about shopping for your wedding dress, the first colour that pops into most brides-to-be’s heads is white. White is the traditional bridal favourite with seas of dresses on racks at bridal shops just waiting to be gone through in hopes of finding the perfect one, just like you did when you found your beloved partner.

For some future brides and grooms, they want their special day to be about them and what they want, so they move away from traditional white wedding dresses and consider other options in a variety of colours. There is nothing wrong with wearing a wedding dress that is not white down the aisle to say your 

Different shades of pink from blush to champagne are trending right now. Pink is the second most popular colour choice of wedding gown, just behind white and is continuing to close this gap. Hues of Blues

From powder blue to royal blue, blue wedding dresses are very popular right now. Toss in some white or gold accents on the dress and it even much more stunning. Black is the New White

Some brides and even famous celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker have gone with black for their wedding dress colour choice. While some people might find the idea a bit outside their comfort zones, for others, they like the idea of going to the direct opposite of white.

Yellows and Gold

Pale yellows are another popular wedding dress colour brides are picking. Partly because it gives the sense of wearing something different, but at the same time offers a feeling that is close to wearing white down the aisle.

With golden wedding dresses, these are rich in detail and can incorporate different shades of yellows. They have been made trendy thanks to a certain Disney film and young brides want to wear that same elegant and stunning dress down the aisle on their special day.

Burgundies

This deep reddish colour is a popular choice among brides who are getting married in the fall or winter. It complements the fall colours as the leaves are changing and is a great contrast to snowy white backdrops.

Purple

A new arrival on the wedding dress scene is purple. Different shades of purples have been rather popular as bridesmaids colours for quite some time, but recently some brides have decide to choose this colour for their wedding dress. One trending option is to use pale purple, which looks like a rich pink, and accent it with floral patterns. Gold and white accents also work well with purple wedding dresses.

Six Tips for Making Your Wedding More Eco-Friendly

Six Tips for Making Your Wedding More Eco-Friendly Protecting the environment is important. If you and your betrothed plan to host an eco-friendly wedding, there is no reason the wedding of your dreams can’t be both stylish and environmentally friendly. Here are six great tips to get you started. What better way to set the tone for your green wedding by choosing a beautiful outdoor location.  Nature preserves, parks, and botanical gardens are beautiful locations to get married and can reduce your need for extra décor. If an indoor wedding is the direction you want to go, choose museums or galleries that will donate your deposit to a good cause.

Choose in Season Varieties of Flowers and Plants

If you can, try to select flowers and plants that are in season and can be found close to your wedding venue. If there are not a wide variety of options to choose from, consider using a local florist. Or you can skip the flowers all together and used potted plants and other greenery as décor items, and get creative with bouquets and boutonnieres. Consider upcycling old brooches to make a brooch bouquet. For more the bookish couples, repurpose old books into creative flower petals.

Choose Eco-Friendly and Conflict-Free Rings

Choose a jeweler who is committed to obtaining their materials in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way. With more and more jewelers opting to use recycled gold and conflict-free gems, you should be able to find the perfect rings that truly reflect your environmental ideals.

Use Local Vendors

When you support local businesses, you not only reduce emissions, but help your local economy. As an added bonus, going local means that you can remember your special day any time just by visiting your vendors’ shops, or easily recreate special wedding moments for your anniversary!

Go Recycled

Use recycled paper for your wedding invitations or other printed materials. If you can’t use recycled, try going for a hybrid of traditional and electronic: send your invitations by snail mail, but refer your guests to your wedding website for directions, find out hotel information, and even RSVP.

Opt Out of Favors

Instead of choosing wedding favors for your guests, let them know that you have donated a specified amount in their name to your favorite charity or environmental organization. If you would rather your guests have a keepsake of your special day, choose sustainable favors, such as soy candles or locally-made handcrafted items.

Donate Leftovers

Check with your caterer to find out if they will chill any unserved food from your rehearsal dinner or reception. Many food banks will pick up properly stored leftovers and your special day will help feed hungry folks in your community.

Destination Wedding Locations for Every Season

With a focus on smaller, more intimate weddings in 2018, this is the year for the destination wedding. If you have not decided on a particular location to say your “I dos” you may want to consider making your wedding an adventure for you and your guests. Here are four destination wedding locations that may have your guests more excited about your wedding than you are.

If you’re drawn to pristine landscapes, a touch of wild west, and breathtaking mountains then Jackson Hole, Wyoming is the perfect location for your destination wedding. Known for its unbeatable skiing and snowboarding in the winter, Jackson Hole is also a sweetly romantic place for your nuptials. You’ll find just about everything you need whether you want a wild west vibe or a chic and sophisticated chalet venue.

Best Time to Visit: The unpredictability of winter in the Tetons can make it risky to plan a winter wedding in Jackson Hole. The best time to plan your destination wedding is the summer and early fall.

If you want a dramatic backdrop for your destination wedding, then look no further than Iceland. Sparsely populated, Iceland is a wild and rugged location with hot springs, active volcanoes, and waterfalls everywhere. It’s no wonder that Iceland – situated about halfway between North America and Europe – is such a popular vacation destination.

Best Time to Visit: Even in the middle of summer temperatures can still be as low as 12-celsius, so you will want to pack accordingly. If you want to experience the breathtaking northern lights, the best time to plan your destination wedding is any time between September and April.

[tsglexingtonkentucky]

Meet TSGColumbus

Did you know THE SCOUT GUIDE (TSG) is a national publication?! Yes. When you become a TSG member you not only have one dedicated local staff promoting and advocating for you and your business…you have over 60 other editors across the country focused on cross promotion of our amazing local business owners…exposure you will not find anywhere else!

This is ABIGAIL FREDELAKE owner / editor of The Scout Guide Columbus. Abigail recently launched Volume 5 which you can VIEW HERE!

Abigail attended Auburn University, where she studied French and fashion merchandising. During her studies, she worked in Paris for a luxury retailer, and so began her love for the luxury industry and interest in building client relationships. After graduating from Auburn, Abigail moved to Columbus for a job in merchandising for a global retailer. She’s called Columbus her home for the past 8 years and could not imagine being anywhere else.

Abigail discovered the beauty of The Scout Guide while planning her wedding in Jackson, Wyoming. She used the city’s Volume 1 Guide as her Save-the-Date, which generated a very enthusiastic response from her guests.

ABIGAIL’S THREE FAVORITE REASONS TO VISIT COLUMBUS:

Diverse Neighborhoods. “Columbus is made up of ‘little towns’ within a big city. Each one has something unique to offer, and it is such a joy spending a day discovering their amazing qualities. Whether it’s German Village, The Short North, Dublin, Bexley, or Powell, you will leave feeling like you’ve gotten a little taste of our beautiful city.”

Local Flavors. “We have some of the best breweries in the country. They all offer a level of sophistication, too. Spend a day touring a couple breweries, have lunch at one of our many fantastic restaurants, and don’t forget to stop at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.”

Local Pride. “You will meet so many people who move to Columbus and soon make it their forever home. Try to check out some of the things locals love: THE Ohio State University (anything they do), supporting local philanthropies (Pelotonia, The New Albany Classic), and the Arts (festivals galore, Balletmet, Picnic with the Pops).”

Here is an article from TSGCOLUMBUS CITY PAGE featuring one of her member businesses - Meet Dr. Robert Heck of Columbus Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery

[shopdavidpeck]

I told you Hannah's wedding dress was great! I love that she took a non-traditional approach to a wedding dress. She didn't want a big, poufy princess dress, but she did want something special and completely unique. Her original plan was to get married in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this summer, but #Covid had other plans.⁣ I handpainted these dahlias, peonies, and ranunculus flowers on her dress, carefully placing them to highlight the silhouette. It was so fun to get back to crafting a one of a kind textile that only she will have. It can never be repeated in exactly the same way. Also, blue dahlias and peonies don't exist, so I had to paint them! https://instagr.am/p/CDKecpuoHW4/

[bbcbreakingnews]

Kanye West claims Michael Jackson was MURDERED during Twitter rant

Kanye West made the astonishing claim Michael Jackson was murdered during his Twitter meltdown on Tuesday night. 

The rapper, 43, who has bipolar disorder, was in the midst of a scathing attack at Kris Jenner, 65, when he mentioned his wild theory about the late pop icon. 

Michael died on the 25 June in 2009 age 50. His cause of death was ruled as a cardiac arrest caused by a fatal combination of drugs given to him by his personal doctor.  

Wild theory: Kanye West claimed Michael Jackson was murdered during his Twitter meltdown on Tuesday night (pictured at his presidential rally on Sunday)

 Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and served two years of his four-year prison sentence for good behaviour.

Kanye wrote: ‘MJ told you about Tommy before they killed him Kim saved my daughters life in the name of Jesus It’s Gods choice only I will live for my children Kris I’m in Cody if your not planning another one of your children’s playboy shoots’.

The musician appeared to reference Michael’s fallout with former Sony CEO Tommy Mottola, whom Jackson called a ‘racist’ and ‘devilish’ for failing to promote his 2001 album Invincible. 

Sony issued a statement calling Jackson’s comments about Mottola ‘ludicrous, spiteful and hurtful’ at the time.  

Rant: The rapper, 43, who has bipolar disorder, was in the midst of a scathing attack at Kris Jenner, 65, when he mentioned his wild theory about the late pop icon

Tragic: Michael (pictured in March 2009) died on the 25 June in 2009, his cause of death was ruled as a cardiac arrest caused by a fatal combination of drugs

Feud: The musician appeared to reference Michael’s fallout with former Sony CEO Tommy Mottola, whom Jackson called a ‘racist’ for failing to promote his 2001 album Invincible

There is no suggestion Kanye was accusing Sony or Tommy for Michael’s tragic death.  

Kanye also shared a screenshot of unanswered messages from Kris. 

The first message read: ‘This Ye, you ready to talk now or are still avoiding my call?’, while the second, posted a day later ‘This Ye, you wanna talk or go to war?’.

He captioned the screenshot: ‘White supremacy at its highest no cap’.  

Upsetting: Sony issued a statement calling Jackson’s comments about Mottola ‘ludicrous, spiteful and hurtful’ at the time (puctured Tommy Mottola in 2005)

Ignored: Kanye also shared a screenshot of unanswered messages from Kris. The first message read: ‘This Ye, you ready to talk now or are still avoiding my call?’

Isolated: The rapper is hiding out in a bunker at his ranch in Wyoming, amid sources claiming he has lost trust in his wife Kim Kardashian, 39, and Kim’s mum Kris (pictured in 2019)

The rapper is hiding out in a bunker at his ranch in Wyoming with some select friends, amid sources claiming he has lost trust in his wife Kim Kardashian, 39. 

The couple were reportedly ‘living apart’, having been ‘at each other’s throats’ for months during lockdown. 

Concern has grown over Kanye’s mental health after he launched his election campaign on Sunday, where he revealed the couple had wanted to abort their daughter North, seven, before bursting into tears.

Tension: The couple were reportedly ‘living apart’, having been ‘at each other’s throats’ for months during lockdown (pictured in February)

Two days later, Kanye sensationally claimed he has been ‘trying to get divorced’ from Kim since she met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at the Waldorf Hotel.  

The couple, who wed in 2014 and have four children, were said to be living at opposite ends of their LA compound due to rising tensions, before Kanye moved to their family home in Wyoming.

A source told The Sun: ‘Since lockdown they’ve had daily bust-ups over literally everything. But mainly about the kids, their future, and the different directions they’re going in. 

Worried: Concern has grown over Kanye’s mental health after he launched his election campaign on Sunday and broke down in tears 

Split? Kanye claimed he has been ‘trying to get divorced’ from Kim since she met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at the Waldorf Hotel

Meltdown: In his latest rambling Twitter outburst, West said Kim was ‘out of line’ to meet Meek Mill to talk about ‘prison reform’ and blasted her mother Kris Jenner as ‘Kris Jong-Un’

 Distressing: The rapper also claimed Kim was trying to fly out to Wyoming with a doctor to ‘lock me up’

Outburst: Kanye said he had been trying to divorce Kim since she met up with rival rapper Meek Mill (pictured in 2019) at the Waldorf Hotel

‘They’ve barely had a functioning marriage for the last year and Kim has been finding living with him too difficult.

‘He’s very demanding and always obsessed with one of his schemes — she’s exhausted. They live totally separate lives now.’

The insider added the rapper is ‘paranoid and convinced’ he needs protection from Kim and her mother Kris Jenner.   

Hideaway: The rapper, 43, is hiding out in a bunker at his ranch in Wyoming with some select friends, amid sources claiming he has lost trust in his wife, 39.

WHAT IS BIPOLAR?

Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder which causes unusual and often sudden changes in mood and energy levels.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? 

Moods of those with bipolar disorder range from periods of extreme elation and energy (known as a manic episode) to periods of extreme somberness and lack of energy (known as a depressive episode).

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

According to the International Bipolar Foundation, sufferers are diagnosed with rapid cycling if they have four or more manic, hypomanic, or depressive episodes in any 12-month period.

This severe form of the condition occurs in around 10 to 20 percent of all people with bipolar disorder.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Currently it is unknown what is the cause of bipolar disorder, which affects around 5.7 million US adults aged 18 or older.   

Scientists say genetics could play a role or that those with a a family history of bipolar disorder are more likely to have it.

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MailOnline has contacted Kim and Kanye’s representatives for comment. 

Kanye has been open about his struggle with bipolar disorder and, in 2016, he spent time in hospital after a ‘psychiatric emergency’ that forced him to cancel 21 concert dates. 

In his latest rambling Twitter outburst, Kanye said Kim was ‘out of line’ to meet Meek Mill to talk about ‘prison reform’ and blasted her mother Kris Jenner as ‘Kris Jong-Un’ while accusing the pair of ‘white supremacy’. 

The Stronger hitmaker also repeated his claim his wife and mother-in-law had ‘tried to fly in with two doctors’ to have him hospitalised.

The late-night tweets were deleted barely half an hour after they were posted, after West signed off his tweets as coming from ‘the future president’.

The rapper announced he was running for president on July 4 and held his first campaign rally in South Carolina on Sunday but as yet, has not mounted a full campaign.  

He questioned whether he should postpone his controversial run on the Oval Office until 2024 in a tweet late Tuesday night in which he also shared a confusing look at his ‘2020 Vision’. 

‘#2020vision or maybe ’24,’ he wrote alongside a picture of a piece of paper in his trademark orange, listing what appears to be the tracklist for his upcoming album.

‘I guess all black people supposed to vote on Biden? Y’all want me to run on nah???’ the rapper then asked.   

Page Six reports that friends fear the marriage may not survive West’s recent frightening behaviour, as he welcomes other celebrities to the ranch but continues to avoid his wife.     

Earlier on Tuesday, Kanye heaped praise on his comedian friend Dave Chappelle for flying to Wyoming to visit him as sources claim his wife Kim is ‘completely devastated’ that he accused her of trying to get him locked up. 

Kanye tweeted: ‘Thank you Dave for hopping on a jet to come see me doing well. Dave you are a god send and a true friend. All love.’ 

However, the family has been unable to reach Kanye as he has allowed only people he trusts to join. 

Family: The couple are pictured with their children North, 7; Saint, 4; Chicago, 2; and Psalm, 14 months

A source has also told Entertainment Tonight Kim is ‘completely devastated’ by Kanye’s tweets and has been trying to get her husband help for his bipolar disorder but he has refused.

‘Kim has always been public about everything in her life, but with Kanye and him being bipolar she has always respected to keep that more private and within the family,’ the source said.

‘Kanye tweeting about the family and painting her as trying to “lock him up” has upset Kim because that wasn’t her intention and she only ever wants the best for her husband.’ 

  Clash: Among West’s tweets, was this picture of himself with his children. Along with this picture, he wrote ‘West children will never do playboy’ in a hit at his mother-in-law Kris and Kim

Daring: Kim’s Playboy cover from 2007

Meanwhile, another source told Us Weekly Kim and the rest of the Kardashians think Kanye ‘crossed a line’ by airing private family matters.

‘She’s tried so hard to help him, but now Kim and her family feel as though he’s really crossed a line by talking negatively about them publicly and sharing private family matters with the public,’ the source said.

‘She feels helpless at this point.’ 

In addition to saying his wife was trying to lock him up, Kanye’s Twitter rant Monday also referenced Kim’s prior Playboy shoots and vowed to never let his children do the same. 

He also slammed his mother-in-law and he suggested the movie ‘Get Out’ was based on his own life. 

‘Kim was trying to fly to Wyoming with a doctor to lock me up like on the movie Get Out because I cried about saving my daughters life yesterday,’ West said in one of the since-deleted tweets. 

In other tweets, he also appealed directly to Kim and Jenner, to contact him at his ranch in Wyoming where he has been living, adding that he didn’t want his mother-in-law around his four children. 

‘Kriss don’t play with me you and that calmye are not allowed around my children Ya’ll tried to lock me up,’ he said, apparently referencing Jenner’s boyfriend Corey Gamble. 

Kanye also took a stab at the Keeping Up With The Kardashians, saying he loved his wife and wanted his family to live with him despite them filming the reality TV series. 

Happier times: North West, Kardashian, West and Saint (L to R) are pictured together in New York City in 2019

The post Kanye West claims Michael Jackson was MURDERED during Twitter rant appeared first on BBC BREAKING NEWS.

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[tsgjacksonholewyoming]

Weddings in Jackson Hole and Scouting the Top Insider Tips

First-look-at-the-bride portraits, late night donuts and sparkler exits could happen anywhere. But wildlife cameos, Teton vistas and bluegrass in the wind make weddings in Jackson Hole unique. Here, our TSG Jackson Hole wedding specialists and members share some insider tips to help those that might be planning a wedding in Jackson Hole. In addition, we included a few ideas for your big day.

“People want to utilize the mountains as a backdrop for family portraits,” says wedding photographer Ashley Merritt “I love to capture candid shots within the portrait when the last little window of light gives you that beautiful blue glow.”

Ashley Merritt, Carrie Patterson and Sarah Averill, Scout Guide photographers, have shot weddings at ranches, teepees and on mountaintops throughout the valley. They have set a pack of horses wild, and seen a dog walk the bride down the aisle.

One thing they always remind wedding planners is to be prepared for mountain weather. Whether that means bringing a basket of shawls for the guests to bring to the dance floor or embroidering jean jackets for the bridesmaids, an outer layer is advised. “Flexibility is the key out here,” Merritt says.

Wildflowers may also be part of the backdrop. They are always well complemented by creations by Lily & Co., a local florist that has made dog collars, filled fireplaces with blooms and designed walls of flowers (not to be confused with wallflowers) behind bandstands.

Emily Lacoste, Creative and Owner of Lily & Co., suggests letting nature taking center stage. She covers tent poles, barn beams, and farm tables with all manners of greenery, giving mother nature a much-deserved nod, and she likes to keep things bright, bold and simple.

Honored guests love receiving Teton inspired jewelry. It is a great way for guests to take a piece of Jackson Hole home with them. In addition to custom wedding bands in platinum and white, yellow, rose gold, JC Jewelers studio has done cowboys and mountainscapes on cufflinks, money clips, keychains and earrings for attendant gifts. Other unique touches such as men’s silk bowtie’s adorned with antlers, the Wyoming cowboy or the buffalo are also groomsmen favorites  can be found at Western Range Clothing. 

Pendleton throws and other native patterns can bring a western flair to the dining room whether it is tented or in plein air. Jill King, the editor and publisher of The Scout Guide is in the know when it comes to party tips with her business Styling the New West. Three standard rules of thumb Jill uses are to add texture and interest by adding fruit, nuts and vines with flowers in season, keep table decor under 12 inches high so guests can see and talk to each other adding in various sizes and heights of candles under 10 inches. 

If you are looking for an inspiring indoor space for the reception, there is no better place to celebrate than the National Museum of Wildlife Art. If the weather turns, there is always a sweeping view out their gigantic windows.

Bass player Patrick “Poot” McFarlin of PTO Bluegrass can spice up a cocktail reception or get guests to sing along to Wagon Wheel. They are a local wedding favorite !

Airstream cocktail bars are also for rent. But it would be a big mistake to do cocktails without lacing the bar with appetizers. Genevieve Catering has a food cart for late night comfort food like fried chicken and biscuit sandwiches with Sriracha honey. Sample menus are available on their website.

Scouted Wedding Ideas:

Floral // Lily and Co. makes artful bouquets, corsages and boutineers. They will even decorate your horses and dogs as well as the wedding party if you like.

Wedding planner // Simply Grand Events helps you scout the memories before you make them with full service wedding planning and a master of ceremonies on site

Photographers // Ashley Merritt, Carrie Patterson and Sarah Averill capture the magic of the landscape and the laughter and joy of your guests

Wedding Venue // National Museum of Wildlife Art is perched on a hill north of town with sunset views of the National Elk Refuge and the Sleeping Indian

Catering // Genevieve Catering has full service catering and a food truck to boot 

Tablescape Stylist // Styling the New West connects your wedding theme to the landscape in an elegant, romantic and chic Wyoming way

Where to stay // Hotel Jackson has a chic boutique feel with big city amenities, including shuttles, and a Mediterranean restaurant

Invitations/Sparklers // Paper and Grace will unveil your announcements, customize your invitations, and simplify your thank you notes

Attendant Gifts // Honored guests love going home with Teton inspired pendants by JC Jewelers.

Apparel // Western Range Clothing Co.’s assortment of beautiful silk ties, silk bow ties and dress shirts are perfect for any wedding with their signature western patterns.

Registry // Create your bridal registry at Belle Cose. They will make your wedding registry experience a special one.

Music // PTO Bluegrass has a three piece band that will liven up your reception

Morning After // Get some replenishing fluids by calling House Call Hydration or stopping in to Healthy Being Cafe and Juicery for lunch, dessert or yummy juices.

*Images 1 and 4 courtesy of Carrie Patterson and images 2 and 3 courtesy of Ashley Merritt.

[worldclasswedding]

Top 4 Wyoming Wedding Locations to Check Out

With such a wide range of thing to see and do plus places to stay, Wyoming is a great place for a business trip, vacation, or wedding. There is a myriad of options, meaning you can stay in a one-of-a-kind hotel or national chain. Have your celebration outdoors at a ranch, a national park, or in a more typical convention center. Regardless of which part of the state you are in, you will discover a long list of wedding venues and also hotels just waiting for you to rent a room or an event space. Listed below are the top 4 Wyoming wedding locations to check out:

Snake River Ranch:

If you are seeking a Wyoming Wedding Venues that will enhance the mesmerizing sights of the Tetons, Snake River Ranch is an ideal option. This location can seat a large tented gathering of nearly 300 guests. It is only three miles from the Teton Village making it private yet convenient. They also have a gorgeous outdoor dinner site at one of their monumental barnyards, if you’d like to have your reception there, and don’t forget the horse-drawn wagons for your grand entrance.

Grand Targhee Resort:

I absolutely admire the Grand Targhee Resort.  If you wish for panoramic mountain views to be your background, Grand Targhee is the ideal place to get married. They have a great staff that takes care of everything for you.

Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club:

If you wish for a wedding that’s mostly planned for you, this is an excellent place to check out. You have to have your own wedding coordinator chosen beforehand, but you can pick whom you’d like to help you. Food is made in-house & their food and beverage manager and their chef will help you with coordinating all food & drink details, menu design, venue set-ups, and other facets of your wedding experience. They’ll also offer the linens, china, cutlery, and glassware so you will not have to worry about them.

Jackson Lake Lodge:

If you wish to make it easy on your guest & you, Jackson Lake Lodge is an excellent option.  They have several available rooms and also an indoor ballroom that can seat up to 300 guests, great cuisine, and wedding coordinators that go above & beyond to make your day effortless.  If you wish for your reception to be outdoors, there are several spots with fascinating views of the Teton Mountains.

For more info on top Wyoming Wedding Locations, you can take a look at WorldClassWeddingVenues.com – Your Worldwide Wedding Directory.

[simplysarahphotography]

I know it’s been all Charleston and Bahamas photos over here lately!!! Our calendar is quite seasonal and this time of year we mostly shoot east coast( CHS, NC, GA) , South Florida, and Bahamas / Caribbean. Summer is mostly mountain weddings in Montana, Jackson Hole, Wyoming and North Carolina. Fall and winter is a catch 22. We can be anywhere at anytime... this fall it’s Big Sky, Jackson Hole, Charleston, Nashville, Asheville, NYC, Texas, Bahamas, Miami & Atlanta. Tired yet?! We love being able to chase amazing weather and beautiful weddings from time zone to time zone ✨ Here is an image from a #northcarolinawedding workshop I taught to break up all the Bahama- loving posts! Planning and design: @lacygeary, florals: @kateasireflowers , dress: @alexandragrecco as seen on @stylemepretty front page! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ • #simplysarahphotography #bozemanwedding #glacierwedding #montanawedding #bigskywedding #jacksonholewedding #mountainwedding #montanaweddingphotographer #bigskyweddingphptographer #destinationwedding #weddinginspiration #destinationweddingphotographer #cashierswedding #highlandswedding #mtwedddingphotographer #wywedding #mountainwedding #luxurywedding #bozemanweddingphotographer #ashevillewedding #whitefishwedding #kalispellwedding #jacksonholeweddingphotographer — view on Instagram http://bit.ly/2vBnZM1

[frankterranella]

Seeking beautiful places on the road

Sometimes the roadside views are breathtaking, like this one in Hawaii.

By FRANK TERRANELLA

Recently, I completed a travel project I have been working on for almost a decade. I have visited all 50 U.S. states.

 It was in the fall of 2009 that I was inspired by a Ken Burns documentary to see the United States. The PBS series was called “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” I was so impressed by the beautiful pictures of parts of America I had never seen, that I was determined to get out and see them all.

 Up until that point I had seen most of the East Coast as well as some of the Midwest. My only trips west of the Mississippi had been flights to Las Vegas, Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and most of them had been on business with little time for sightseeing.

 When I saw the Ken Burns documentary, I wanted to see the National Parks. But more than that, I wanted to see the rest of the country I had missed in the first half century I was alive.

 And so I sat down at my computer and opened Google maps (or perhaps it was MapQuest back then). I knew I wanted to see Yellowstone National Park first. It had been our first national park and is still one of the biggest, featuring all sorts of natural wonders like Old Faithful. I also wanted to see Grand Teton National Park, which is located just south of Yellowstone, near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. And I wanted to see the Rocky Mountains up close and personal. So Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado was also on my initial list.

 Eventually, as I began to plot a road trip to do this, it seemed to me that the best plan was to fly to Denver, rent a car and take a long circular road trip through the Mountain time zone. I added Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park to the itinerary and then Glacier National Park in Montana. As if that wasn’t enough, I eventually added Arches National Park in Utah as well. So the first big road trip in June 2010 took us through Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. That was eight states I had never visited before. Now, along with my co-pilot wife, we had the bug.

 I took inventory of the states I still had never visited, and saw that the Pacific Northwest was virgin land for me. And I also wanted to fill in some areas in Northern California I had not seen. For that road trip I flew into Reno (as I had never seen northern Nevada) rented a car and traveled to Boise, Idaho, and then west across Washington state to Mount Rainier National Park. We continued west to Seattle and even took a quick trip up to Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. From there we took a ferry to Port Angeles, Washington.

 After a ride through Olympia National Park, we began one of the most scenic drives you can make in North America. We traveled the Pacific Coast Highway all the way down the Washington and Oregon coasts into California. Then we headed west to Yosemite National Park before making our way back to Reno. That trip took us though Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California.

 For our next trip, I decided that I needed to visit Southern states we had missed. This would be a total road trip with no air travel involved. So we set out from New Jersey and headed west on Route 80 to Pennsylvania before heading south through Maryland and Virginia to Shenandoah National Park and Smoky Mountain National Park. We continued south through North and South Carolina into Georgia. Then we headed west through Alabama and Mississippi to New Orleans and another new state, Louisiana.

 The final road trip was in Arizona and New Mexico, with a short side trip into El Paso, Texas. This completed the contiguous 48 United States. Around this time, we made road trips to Florida and Southern California because we wanted to see more of those states. On those trips, we visited Joshua Tree National park, Death Valley National Park, Everglades National Park and tiny Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles off the coast of Key West.

 But in our quest to visit all 50 states, all we had left was Alaska and Hawaii. I knew that neither of these was going to be a road trip. Since my wife and I are confirmed cruise enthusiasts since our honeymoon 40 years ago, we decided that the visit to these last two states would be by cruise ship.

 Alaska was first. We picked up a cruise in Vancouver, British Columbia that took us all the way to Anchorage, Alaska, with several scenic Alaskan stops along the way. While we were on that cruise, we booked our Hawaii cruise, timed to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.

 We flew to Honolulu and completed our 50 states, enjoying beautiful tropical weather in January. We picked up our cruise and that took us around to all the major islands. We felt like we had really seen our 50th state.

 When we told people on the cruise that we had just completed the 50 states, the inevitable question was, “which one was your favorite? “.  My answer was California because of its diversity. California has every type of terrain you might want to see from mountains to desert to gorgeous coastline and everything in between. In fact, on our way home from Hawaii, we spent a few days driving down the coast from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo.

 The next most frequent question I got from people was “what’s next?”.  I don’t know. Someone suggested the Canadian provinces, but I actually have been to all of them too. I think my “collect them all” days are done. From here on, I will just try to get to more beautiful places in the world I have never seen. I have my eye on Switzerland and Australia. You can’t have too much beauty in your life

[tsgcolumbus]

Meet Tanya: Owner of Gilded Social

We can’t believe it is the 1 Year Anniversary of Gilded Social already! The Scout Guide Columbus is so proud to have them as a part of their latest edition and to have seen the success and growth of the business this past year. We sat down with owner, Tanya Hartman, to chat about what inspires her, what she has learned throughout her career, and dress trends she is excited to see in 2019. 

Help celebrate at the Gilded Social Anniversary Celebration, this Thursday, January 31st from 6-8pm. Get $10 off your next Gilded purchase, braids from The Bride Bar, makeup demos from Beauty Counter, jewelry and ring cleaning from Star Jewelers on High, and much more! 

1. Favorite travel destination at the moment:

“Well, the only two places that my husband and I regularly visit are Jackson Hole, Wyoming (1) and DisneyWorld, so I'd have to say they're our favorites. But my ABSOLUTE favorite place to visit is somewhere I haven't been before! Next new stop on our list is Kyoto, Japan.”

2. One person I admire in my field is:

“I'm going to say two people, one on the East Coast - Lynn Easton (2) of Easton Events - and one on the West Coast - Laurie Arons.  The two of them have planned, hands down, the most incredible weddings I have ever seen.”

3. I unwind at the end of the day by:

“Haha.  I never unwind.  But at the end of most days, you can find my husband and I dining at one of our neighborhood spots.  Being able to walk to get dinner is one of the things we love most about living in German Village (3).”

4. On Instagram, I follow and feel inspired by:

“Boy do I love the big guns of weddings and travel.  I follow every Martha Stewart Weddings' Best Photographer (6), Planner, Caterer, Stationer, you name it.  I'm also constantly scouting my next vacation, so I also follow every Four Seasons (4) property, Forbes Travel list winner, and accounts for places we have on our wish list.  (I actually have a separate Instagram account JUST for travel ha!)  But truly, who I am most inspired by is all of our #GildedTribes.  There is nothing I love seeing pop up on my feed more than a gorgeous group of girls in our dresses.  It is so corny and cliche, but dang is it true!”

5. The biggest lesson I have learned in my career:

“From my days as a political campaign fundraiser to being a dress shop owner, transparency, consistency, and urgency has gotten me far.”

6. Best advice I have ever received was:

“"Haste makes waste."  My mother was always telling me Benjamin Franklin-isms as a kid, and this one I say to myself constantly, even to this day.  I always need to remind myself to slow down.”

7. Dress trend you are most exciting about in 2019:

“Oh my goodness, I am so excited about Peacock Hues (5) - formerly known as jewel tones.  We're talking big, bold, deep colors in blue, turquoise, green, and purple tones.  I absolutely LOVE deep color, and these are totally my new favorites.”

8. Dress trend you are ready to see go in 2019:

“I'm ready for neutrals, blush, and burgundy to go in 2019.  There are so many new colors out there that are ready to take the lead!”

[discovercreate]

The Perfect Winter Vow Renewal

The only thing more beautiful than committing your life to the one you love is making that very same promise in a vow renewal. Set in the snowy mountains of Jackson, Wyoming, Callie and Brad recreated their wedding day, complete with a cozy outdoor dinner celebration. Simply Sarah photographed the day and you won’t want to miss a single second.

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Callie + Brad’s Love Story

Brad and I met in January of 2011, however, our actual first encounter is up for debate. Brad says we were introduced by our good friend at a concert at The Mangy Moose. I remember our first meeting being a couple weeks later after skiing one snowy Saturday. A friend and I had just finished skiing and were walking towards Nick Wilsons for a beer when I heard someone call my name. I turned around to see a very handsome bearded man walking towards me. He smiled familiarly, said hello and reminded me his name was Brad. I excitedly nodded and smiled back. He asked for my number and after he walked away my friend asked, “Who was that?” I laughed and said, “I have no idea.”

Brad called me a month later (nearly too long) and asked me on our first date, and because of the ever-changing facial hair of men in Jackson, I didn’t quite recognize him when he came to pick me up. That night we had one of the best times dancing at a friend’s birthday party in Jackson and knew this was something special. We immediately enjoyed doing all the things that come so easily to everyone in Jackson. We spent most of our time together skiing, biking, camping and floating the river. Over July 4th weekend 2015, the two of us hiked the Teton Crest trail.

The Teton Crest trail traverses throughout the Teton Mountains and is an absolutely stunning 40-mile trek. On our second day of backpacking which happened to be July 4th, we found ourselves at the Alaska Basin, a beautiful, peaceful, subalpine basin scattered with tons of little sparkling lakes, ponds, and boulders. It is a magical place. After a long, hot day of hiking, I went down to the water to take a dip and Brad said he would set up camp. As I was sunning myself on a big boulder next to the water, Brad quietly came up behind me and surprised me. I honestly thought he was trying to throw me in the lake. When I turned around he had dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes!

We both grew up on the East Coast, but we knew instantly that we wanted to get married in Jackson so all our friends and family from back home could come see this beautiful place. Jackson is where we fell in love with each other and the place we now call home. All the adventures we experience together here make our relationship and love stronger. When you are out in the mountains challenging yourself and pushing your limits, it gives you a deep sense of trust and admiration for the place and people around you.

Photography: Simply Sarah Photography | Floral Design: Magnolia Ranch | Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone | Shoes: Bella Belle | Jewelry: Trumpet & Horn | Makeup: Makeup by Stephanie Broom | Hair: Hair by Lela Hebard | Invitations + Calligraphy: Spurle Gul Studios | Venue: Open Meadows Ranch | Event Planning + Styling: Simply Grand Weddings And Events | Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Rental | Plates, Flatware, Glassware: Montana Party Rentals | Rentals: Hunter Gatherer

© Style Me Pretty, 2017. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Anniversary, Mountains, Snow, Vow Renewal Post categories: Anniversary, The Blog

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